Master of Science Organizational Leadership

Our Master of Science in Organizational Leadership program creates a vibrant learning community, based on the flexibility needed for today’s working adults. Students have the benefit of individual coaching sessions with faculty; this enables them to address personal programmatic or real-world work-related issues, which helps to advance their professional development. Union also allows students to adapt course projects to their professional interests, empowering them to develop and refine their own personal leadership style.

36 Total credits

$695 Cost Per Credit Hour

TBA Next Start Date

Apply Now

Designed for Current & Emerging Managers

At Union, we know leadership is a component of nearly every position in today’s challenging global arena. That’s why we prepare current and emerging managers to take a thoughtful approach to leadership and invent their own invaluable solutions to complex issues.

36 credit hour program with 3 class modules
Full & part-time options
January, May and August start dates
Complete your degree in as little as 12 months

Cost of Program

Module 1 Theme: Innovative Leadership

Show / Hide Course Descriptions

LDR 601

Leading Complex Organizations: An Entrepreneurial Perspective

3 credit hours

Organizations continuously evolve to effectively operate in an interdependent global, social, and economic environment. Today’s leader is called to be an integrative thinker who can envision the future, think outside-of-the box, and be willing to try alternative possibilities. With entrepreneurial leadership development as the focus, this course critically examines the networked nature and dynamics of contemporary organizations and the needed qualities and skills to innovatively lead them, manage their diverse workforces, orchestrate their inter-organizational partnerships, and establish vibrant community relationships.
LDR 602

Professional Ethics: Organizational Integrity in an Age of Globalization

3 credit hours

As explored in LDR 601, organizational leaders face complex situations and make decisions that have long-term effects for a wide range of local and global stakeholders, including the environment and future generations. Through examining current organizational issues and challenges, this course examines how to practically analyze situations and make decisions grounded in professional ethical principles and strategies, organizational integrity, socially responsible practices, sustainability principles, social justice perspectives, and how to become a contributing community partner. Central to this course is the refinement and articulation of one’s own professional code of ethics and the principles that guide it.
LDR 603

Managing Talent: Engaging a Diverse Distributed Workforce

3 credit hours

One of the greatest challenges for current leaders is to attract and retain highly talented and creative employees, as well as to manage them in a distributed work environment in a manner that engages them to fully utilize their expertise. With human resource management concepts and processes as the backdrop, this course discusses the essential collaborative managerial qualities, skills, strategies, and practices needed to develop a dynamic, innovative, and highly motivated workforce. Central to this discussion is the ethnically diverse nature of the workforce, how to lead across cultures and ways to address the challenges posed by four generations with differing work styles working side by side.
LDR 604

Organizational Research, Analytics, and Innovative Solution Building

3 credit hours

Organizational analytics that draw upon quantitative and qualitative data is critical for leading and successfully analyzing operations, making decisive decisions, and innovatively solving problems. This course synthesizes the learning about research methods done throughout the program, as well as further prepares students to develop and utilize various forms of data collection, statistical analysis, and reporting to make organizational decisions and the needed changes to organizational operations.

Module 2 Theme: Networking Leadership

Show / Hide Course Descriptions

LDR 605

Organizational Communication: Agile Organizational Structures, Social Networks, and Partnerships

3 credit hours

Leading organizations today involves facilitating a web of internal and external networks that form as needed. With social networking and organizational partnerships as the backdrop, this course explores the dynamics of organizational communication and the advantages and disadvantages of hierarchical, relational, networking, and culture-based approaches. Central to this exploration is enabling students to determine the appropriate organizational communication structures and communication processes needed for an organization to effectively function, be adaptive and innovative, and best serve its customers or clientele.
LDR 606

Leveraging Technology: Strategic Information, Communication, and Collaboration Systems

3 credit hours

Organizations are collaborative information enterprises that utilize technology to communicate and network people and partner with other organizations. Leaders must leverage technology and information to improve organizational performance. Building upon LDR 603 and LDR 605, this course explores the vital role technology plays in daily organizational decision-making, operations, teamwork, and supply chain management. Central to the discussion is how managers and information technology professionals can work together to design and implement effective information and collaboration systems that enable strategic business analysis and planning, increase workplace productivity, enhance worker performance, create dynamic knowledge management systems, and improve the quality of the work environment.
LDR 607

Collaborative Work Environments: Telework, Teams and Conflict Management

3 credit hours

Organizations are distributed enterprises with both human and technological infrastructures. With organizational collaboration as the backdrop, this course expands upon the distributed workforce concepts and issues examined in LDR 603, focusing on the challenges of managing a diverse distributed workforce utilizing various forms of technology. Central to this discussion is a critical examination of telework, the virtual office, distributed team configurations, group development in non-co-located work environments, team conflict resolution processes, and outsourcing strategies.
LDR 608

Leading Knowledge Workers: Establishing Organizational Knowledge Sharing Cultures and Systems

3 credit hours

There has been a shift from an information age to a knowledge age. Innovative leaders create cultures that foster and reward knowledge sharing, generation and application. This course builds upon the Innovative Leadership Module and draws together the core concepts and competencies examined in the LDR 605, LDR 606 and LDR 607 courses. Its primary focus is on enabling students to expand their skills as leaders of knowledge workers. Central to this leadership development process are students expanding their networking skills. These networking opportunities enable knowledge sharing, ongoing learning, and the formation of communities of practice.

Module 3 Theme: Analytical Leadership

Show / Hide Course Descriptions

LDR 609

Strategic Analysis and Operations in a Global Economy

3 credit hours

Leaders, whether they manage for-profit, nonprofit, or government organizations, must be business savvy while being socially responsible. In light of global economic strategies and world trends, this course addresses complex issues pertaining to organizational operations, financial management, and organizational performance. Central to this examination is the use of organizational research and statistics in forecasting, strategic planning, problem-solving, critical decision making, and innovation.
LDR 610

Organizational Development: Innovation, Change Management, and Design Thinking

3 credit hours

To remain viable and resilient, organizations must continuously grow and, at times, even transform themselves into something new. Critical to this process is establishing a culture of innovation supported by entrepreneurial leadership that fosters ongoing learning, the ability to thoughtfully experiment, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. Integrating the organizational concepts, human resource management philosophies, and leadership practices explored in the other Innovative Leadership Module courses, this course focuses on leading strategic organizational change and development, including utilizing design-thinking principles in envisioning and creating change, formulating strategies, and implementing organizational initiatives.
LDR 611

Responsible Organizational Governance

3 credit hours

Organizations, being legal entities and accountable civic members, must adhere to the regulations, laws, ordinances, and policies that govern the society in which they reside. This is complex and challenging because organizations operate in a global arena with diverse standards. With current issues, laws, and legal rulings as the backdrop, this course explores the principles of responsible organizational governance, discusses how organizational leaders can ensure that ethical governance processes and policies can be developed, communicated, and implemented, and how organizational decisions and operations can be properly monitored.
LDR 612

Leading Strategically and Implementing Succession Planning Processes

3 credit hours

Strategic leaders make decisions that are aligned with the organization’s mission. Each decision moves the organization toward its target goals and serves its clientele. This course builds upon the preceding Innovative Leadership and Networking Leadership Modules and draws together the core concepts and competencies examined in the LDR 609, LDR 604 and LDR 611 courses. Its primary focus is on organizational strategic leadership models and practices fundamental to working in an interdependent global setting. Central to this concluding discussion is the exploration of sustainable strategic management principles, successful execution of strategic plans, and the value of grooming high-potential candidates for future organizational leadership opportunities.

Cohort-Based Learning Model

The unique cohort-based distance learning model creates a vibrant learning community consisting of individuals from various parts of the country in a variety of industries. You simply can’t find that type of “melting pot” learning environment in ordinary graduate programs.

Skills & Benefits Union Students Gain

The cohort-based distance learning model creates a vibrant learning community.
The online format provides flexibility for today’s working adult.
Leadership mentors work with students from their chosen profession.

Students prepare professional portfolios.
Students adapt course assignments and projects relevant to their professions and work-related issues.
Integrative activities enable students to further develop their professional leadership styles.

Meet Our Faculty

What Makes Our Program Unique?

"Getting and keeping management jobs in public and private sectors require three leadership skills: Innovation, networking, and critical analysis. Union Institute & University’s Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) program promotes these leadership skills for working adults so that they can successfully lead high-performing organizations through any challenge."

KIM BYAS, SR., PHD, MPH, FACHE
Program Director

Hear What Our Students Are Saying

I had to find a university that understood my priorities and goals, and I have...the university is committed to helping veterans complete their education and career goals through the Veterans in Union program.

Kylie H.

Student

I had to work and I had children at home. I couldn’t quit my job and attend a bricks-and-mortar school....I searched for a university that offered flexibility, online classes and face-to-face academic experience....I loved my time at Union. My professors were excellent, both online and in-person. I cherish the time spent with them and my fellow students.

Kerry S.

Graduate

“After graduating with a 4.0 average, I am now an Executive Officer in a high-visibility military organization.”

Lieutenant Junior Grade Patrick Thompson

U.S. Navy, 2019 Graduate

Funding Your Future

We strive to make college affordable. Explore your financial aid & scholarship options. See what makes Union the smart choice.

Learn More

Master of Science Organizational Leadership

Designed for Current & Emerging Managers

Cohort-Based Learning Model

Skills & Benefits Union Students Gain

Meet Our Faculty

What Makes Our Program Unique?

Hear What Our Students Are Saying

Kylie H.

Student

Kerry S.

Graduate

Lieutenant Junior Grade Patrick Thompson

U.S. Navy, 2019 Graduate

Funding Your Future

About Union

Degree Programs

Services & Support

Alumni

Consumer Info & Forms